Co-circulation of Hantaan, Kenkeme, and Khabarovsk Hantaviruses in Bolshoy Ussuriysky Island, China.

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) was first recognized in far eastern Asia in the 1930s, and has been highly prevalent in this region ever since. To reveal the molecular epidemiology of hantaviruses in this region, a total of 374 small mammals (eight species of rodents and one species of shrew) were captured in the Chinese part of the Bolshoy Ussuriysky Island (Heilongjiang Province). Hantavirus sequences were recovered from three striped field mice (Apodemus agrarius), 11 Maximowicz's voles (Microtus maximowiczii), and one flat-skulled shrew (Sorex roboratus). Genetic and phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of three viruses: Hantaan virus (HTNV), Khabarovsk virus (KHAV), and Kenkeme virus (KKMV). HTNV sequences recovered from A. agrarius were closely related to those identified in Apodemus mice from the surrounding areas, while a new lineage of KHAV was present in M. maximowiczii. Additionally, while the viral sequences recovered from one flat-skulled shrew were most closely related to KKMV, their divergence to the prototype strain suggests that they represent a new viral subtype. Overall, these results suggest that Bolshoy Ussuriysky Island harbors considerable hantavirus diversity.

[Change of Bcl-2 expression and telomerase during apoptosis induced by oridonin on human hepatocelluar carcinoma cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the change of Bcl-2 expression and telomerase during the apoptosis induced by oridonin on human hepatocelluar carcinoma BEL7402 cells. METHOD: BEL-7402 cells in culture medium were given 8,16,24,32 micromol x L(-1) different concentrations of oridonin. The cell apoptotic rate was detected by flow cytometry (FCM), morphology of cell apoptosis was observed by Hoechst 3325 staining. Bcl-2 and Bax expressions were detected by Western blotting. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and PCR enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to detect hTERT mRNA expression and telomerase activity. RESULT: Oridonin induced BEL-7402 cells apoptosis significantly, and the apoptosis rate was both in time-and dose-dependent manner. Marked morphological changes of cell apoptosis were observed very clearly by Hoechst 33258 staining after the cells exposed to oridonin for 60 hours; Western blotting showed that Bcl-2 expression was down-regulated and Bax expression up-regulated concurrently along with the apoptotic process, and the expression of hTERT mRNA as well as activity of telomerase were decreased concurrently. CONCLUSION: Oridonin could decrease the expression of hTERT mRNA and telomerase activity as well as down-regulation of Bcl-2 and up-regulation of Bax expression during the apoptosis of BEL-7402 cells.